Pope Francis encouraged priests to seek out those who are “invisible” in society and he warned against “ideologies” in the church. According to Italian news reports, one of the ideologies he specified was a gay culture, referring to it, however, by using the same derogatory slang term in Italian that he reportedly used in a Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Gay seminarians’
Pope mending bridges, encourages gay man in vocation
Thursday, June 6th, 2024
Pope Francis has reportedly encouraged a 22-year-old gay man to continue to pursue a vocation to the priesthood after he was not accepted into a Catholic seminary. Just days after the Vatican issued an apology for the pontiff’s use of a slur in reference to seminarians who identify as gay, Francis reportedly responded to an Read more
Is Pope’s PR safety net misrepresenting his use of slang?
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
One curious feature of the modern papacy is the informal, but very real, PR safety net which grows up almost spontaneously around every pontiff. It’s forged in part by the Vatican’s own official communications channels, but even more so by outside commentators and media platforms heavily invested in selling a given pope’s story to the Read more
Pope Francis’ comments not as shocking as some think
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
The full ambivalence of Pope Francis’ pastoral approach to the issue of homosexuality has come into view, first during his television interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, and now with the news that he told the Italian bishops’ conference that gay men should not be allowed to enter the seminary. Is this the same pope who, early Read more
Pope Francis apologises for unintentional vulgar gay slur
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
Pope Francis has apologised for what has been taken as a vulgar, homophobic slur. He “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologises to those who felt offended” says Holy See press office chief Matteo Bruni. The remarks are at odds with the pope’s track record to date. He has Read more